§ 5. Mr. Michael Marshallasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will consider 1691 withdrawing the question relating to a spouse's former marriage in the passport application form if a previous passport is being surrendered without any change of name.
§ The Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (Mr. Evan Luard)Yes, Sir. This year's reprint of passport application forms will indicate that a United Kingdom-born woman surrendering a standard passport in her present name need no longer give details of a former marriage unless her application includes particulars of a child born outside the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. MarshallIs the Minister aware that this Question follows correspondence which I have had with him involving a constituent to whom distress has been caused? How widespread is this problem, and will he confirm that this is another example of bureaucratic nonsense that tends to linger on? How many more examples has he up his sleeve?
§ Mr. LuardI recall our correspondence very well. The hon. Gentleman should be gratified that, as a result of the correspondence, I have changed the regulations in the way he suggests in his Question. I do not think this has been a widespread problem, but there has been a slight difficulty, which will no longer exist.